Most of Humanity isn't Humane...

Toward animals but, most importantly, toward other humans.  There are people who believe they are good-hearted and humanitarians but are they?  Are you? Am I?  Honestly, not always and that shames me.  I mean, really think about it.  I've been watching and listening to people; it's a bit depressing.  Let's take a hypothetical example.  Let's say there's a person in your circle of friends that found out that they will be very sick in a few years so instead of taking a load of pills for the rest of their life they decide to change their lifestyle.  They change their eating habits and change their activities and it's working really well for them and their health.  They look healthier, have more energy, and are finding other friends who share their fervor for a particular exercise activity. Would you put this person down for doing this?  No, probably not, at least not out loud.  But, would you constantly be telling them that they should "slow down" or constantly ask "why do you have to exercise three times a week? I'm sure once a week would be fine.".  How about showing up at a potluck that you know they're going to be at and bringing the one dish you know they have a difficult time resisting then saying to everyone else "mmm, so-and-so can't eat this anymore but that doesn't mean you & I can't, right? Ha ha ha!"  Have you seen or heard any of this or anything similar?  Why do people do this?  It's like no one can stand to see anyone succeed unless they're successful too!  So is it the mentality of "well, I'm fat as a cow and I'll be damned if so-and-so gets skinny and healthy"?  I don't know but I hate witnessing this sort of thing, hate it even more when I'm on the receiving end of it.  "Oh, sorry, I forgot you're vegan and can't have this nonvegan mocha chocolate cake that I made for your birthday!"  Grrrr, really??

Or, how about helping other humans?  When was the last time you drove past someone whose car stalled in the middle of the road?  Maybe a woman with a couple of kids in the car trying frantically to call someone to help her on her cell phone and causing a traffic jam?  Did you drive angrily past her?  Did you slow down for a moment and ask yourself if you should stop to offer to help her move her car to the side of the road?  What do you think our forefathers a few decades ago would've done?  I know that my grandfather would've stopped on the side of the road and helped her when he was able to do so.  When was the last time you stopped and asked a homeless person if they'd like a bag of groceries and then gave them a bag of nonperishable food just because you could?

So, the next time you feel the need to be passive-aggressive about a friend's positive progression or you think someone else is going to help the person that needs help, think about it...why not ask your friend to help you get on the same track...why can't you be THAT person that helps the helpless...

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

Motivational & Self-Help for Everything!

I am about to push...er, recommend a book to the universe (or at least anyone who reads this blog :D ) but, before I do that, I've got to do a build-up first or this might be a pretty boring post.

Some of you might be aware that I decided to finally start watching "The Biggest Loser" show this coming new season (BTW, which premieres on Tuesday, September 20th!) but I like to get caught up with any show I decide to watch that's been on for a while.  So onto Hulu I went and all the way back to the very first episode of the show.  As I first started watching those episodes back-to-back, I really could NOT stand Jillian Michaels! Seriously.  I thought she was mean and thoughtless and too severe (especially in contrast to Bob Harper's style which has also changed a lot from the beginning of the show). But then something happened.  Slowly, I started realizing that she had a really great psychological understanding of why people get to that "Biggest Loser" stage in their lives.  She doesn't take very long to realize what their triggers are or what the "chinks in their armor" are and then she digs in - very much like a doberman but the hurt is going to make those people (hopefully) realize what their issues really are and make them bring out those issues into the light of day.  Breaking someone down so they can build themselves back up!  It's brilliant!  Well, I think she uses her abilities brilliantly :D  Yes, even when she's yelling & insulting them as they sweat buckets to endure the physical side of her technique.  But, I believe, she does it to bring out what needs to be brought out by removing barriers, making them so raggedly tired that there's no energy left in them to fight back and keep their emotional walls up.  Now, mind you, I'm not saying that I know how she thinks or anything but all of this has just been small observations as I progressed through the numerous episodes that I watched over the Summer.  I'm also not about to start worshiping her (even though I believe there is a goddess in every woman) or anything but I can acknowledge that she knows her stuff AND not just weight loss, dieting, and exercise!  

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.  I was tired of listening to music during my workouts so I decided to download a few motivational audiobooks.  I tried one and found that I had much better focus during my exercise routine than when I listened to music.  I went on to a second audiobook but didn't really care so much for it. I went back online to find something else for my next workout.  As I was scrolling through some "same ol', same ol'" types of motivational books, I had an idea and decided to search for something written by Jillian Michaels, thinking a fitness motivational audiobook would be really cool.  But, it wasn't her fitness books that caught my eye.  It was another book she released earlier this year called "Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life"  I downloaded it and I haven't regretted it one single bit!  If you get your hackles up at the mention of something written by Jillian Michaels, let me just say this to you: Open your mind and give her book a chance because it is profound!   It's very much her personality in the sense that it's "no holds barred" and she uses strong language on occasion to get an important point or two across but it's well organized with information and ideas that JUST MAKE SENSE!  The audiobook makes me feel like she's really standing there, next to me (or jogging alongside me) and talking to me like a very emotionally intelligent (& mentally intelligent) friend who's giving me her sage advice.  For example, why do some of us feel guilty if we acquire something we've wanted/desired for a long time?  Why do we feel guilty about having wants & desires for something more than what we have?  Do you want to know what her take is on this concept? Get the book! Oh wait, you know what?  Please get the book and read it - let your mind be open to see the possibilities because what if the way you've been thinking and doing things has given you the same undesired results repeatedly, does that mean the next time you try doing or thinking the same way it'll work out better? If you believe that, then please don't get the book :-)

So, with that said - love her or hate her, you know she helps people get results and achieve their goals, and not just with weight loss and exercise.  I read a lot and, honestly, there have been only two books up until now that have helped me be a better person emotionally and have helped me find my paths in life - this book will definitely be the third on that list (scroll to the end if you want to see my list). Get this book - read it or listen to it then go back and do it again & do the exercises the second round - that's what I'm doing (a little difficult to write answers down when you're trotting along on a treadmill or on the pavement)! 

Thank you, Jillian Michaels, for writing something so perceptively right! 

My emotional & life path changes have been transformed for the better by the following books:

1) Living with Joy, by Sanaya Roman (yes, it's a new age, spiritual book but it made me realize how much of my life's reactions are my own choice);

2) The Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives, by Michael Newton (this was the first time that I felt I had learned the truth of our existence, it FELT right);

3) Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life, written by Jillian Michaels (this is just an addition to everything else I've learned about myself, the universe, and life)

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools